Evening Birch

Birch trees are one of my favorite things to paint. As I awaited the arrival of my first grandson in early 2015, I painted a mural of birch trees and owls on his nursery wall. “Evening Birch” makes me think of the birch trees in my grandson’s room.

Christie Nicklay Art

Born in Southeast Minnesota, Christie Marie Nicklay is a contemporary realism artist who works primarily in acrylics, oils, graphite, and sometimes watercolor and pastel. Her artistic journey began as a child when she would draw anything and everything. She drew constantly. There was a time when you could even find her artwork on the walls of her father's dairy barn. Early on, teachers recognized and encouraged her artistic abilities. Eventually, she became the primary artist for her high school newspaper, clubs and organizations. As she grew, she had dreams of being a doctor, but her father encouraged her to attend school for her art, which she did and acquired her Commercial Art and Fine Art degrees.

After over 30 years in the graphic arts and marketing field, she realized she had merely put her real creative dreams on hold. Working in marketing was her profession, but her childhood love for painting and drawing continued to whisper in her ear. Letting go of the belief that ‘one is only an artist if she paints every day’ made a huge difference in how she felt about making art...and how often. For Christie, her creative process is an ebb and flow cycle, and during ebb times she may not feel like painting at all. This freed her up from her own inner critic and allowed her to develop her creativity in all ways. When she's not painting, she's playing violin, taking pictures, reading, gardening, or working on other "projects". Going with her "ebb and flow" allows her to be creative in some way, every day.

Now, with an art studio at home, she dedicates time to painting and drawing a variety of subjects. Her diverse subject matter is inspired largely by the life around her. Christie’s art conveys a tranquility that captures the viewer's attention and instills an appreciation for life's simple pleasures. Visit Nicklay Art Studio at www.christienicklay.com.